1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to liquid beverage containers, and more particularly to liquid beverage containers that are spill-resistant and capable of dispensing a liquid at a controlled rate.
2. Description of Related Art
Caps or lids are commonly placed over openings of cups containing liquid beverages to form closed containers, especially prior to transport. Spill-resistant caps are also known that prevent spilling of the liquid beverage while allowing the liquid beverage be consumed. Avoiding such spilling is especially important when the beverage is a hot liquid such as coffee or tea.
Re-usable cups with spill-resistant caps intended for use by young children are typically called “training cups.” Many training cups have spouts and handles. It has been found that children drinking from training cups with spouts may develop deformed palettes that create speech problems. In addition, children using training cups with handles must learn to use handles, and often throw the training cups down when frustrated during this learning process.
Examples of spill-resistant caps include the following:
Dibrell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,399, describes a non-spill cap that has two layers, an outer cover section that is secured to the cup, and an inner closure section that is attached to the outer cover section. The outer cover section has a plurality of apertures through its body, and the inner closure section flexes between a sealed configuration, in which the inner closure section seals the apertures of the outer cover section, and an open configuration, in which the inner closure section allows fluid flow through the apertures.
M. B. Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,161, describes a splash-proof drinking vessel that includes a two layer cap for regulating fluid flow. Each layer of the two layer cap includes apertures to enable fluid flow through the cap. In one embodiment, the two layers are separated, and fluid flow is always possible, although somewhat restricted by the two layers. In other embodiments, the two layers can be rotated with respect to each other, so that in an open position, the apertures are aligned and fluid flow is possible, and in other embodiments the apertures are not aligned, and fluid flow is not possible.
Milan, U.S. 2002/0003145 A1, describes a removable beverage container lid for a beverage container. The lid has a substantially enclosed space defined between an exterior cover and an interior cover. At least one inlet opening is formed with the interior cover through which a hot beverage is to flow into the substantially enclosed space. Attached to the interior cover at the forward edge of the inlet opening is a partition or wall assembly with the height of the partition or wall assembly extending to be located substantially against the exterior cover. The length of the partition or wall assembly is at least equal to the length of the inlet opening. Between the partition or wall assembly and the peripheral edge of the exterior cover is located a gap area. Connected with the gap area is a dispensing opening formed within the exterior cover. Hot beverage is required to flow around the partition or wall assembly and into the gap area prior to flowing through the dispensing opening exteriorly of the beverage container. The wall assembly connects with raised areas on the exterior cover each of which has a groove to permit a small amount of the beverage to flow directly into the gap area.
McGushion, U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,712 B1, describes a spill-resistant lid that includes a mounting portion for gripping the upper rim of the container, a sidewall extending upwardly from the mounting portion, and a top wall having a fluid consumption aperture formed therethrough. A spout descends from the fluid consumption aperture towards the interior of the container to which the lid is mounted. The fluid contained within the container must travel through the spout before exiting the fluid consumption aperture. The geometry of the spout is generally either tubular or hollow frusta-conical. One or more steam venting apertures may be formed through the top wall.
Corey et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,215, describes a spill-resistant cup that includes at least two baffle members positioned within the cup wall. Each baffle is generally annular having a central opening and each baffle contains a plurality of passageways (holes or elongated slots) passing therethrough.
Fournier, U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,255, describes a spill-resistant container cover that includes of a pair of similarly dimensioned discoid sections connected with a flexible hinge. The two sections are oriented so that the second section can be flipped over onto the first so that a peripheral channel on the second section engages over a peripheral channel on the first section to provide a shallow space between the two sections bounded by peripheral seal. An array of small openings are provided in the first section leaving a relatively large contiguous imperforate area in that section. A removable tab is provided for forming a drinking opening in the second section, the tab being positioned so that it is disposed opposite the imperforate area in the first section.
Chu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,571 B1, describes a spill-resistant lid device for dispensing fluid contained in a drinking container. A mounting portion is configured to sealingly engage a lip portion of a container. A top cover is coupled to the mounting portion and extends substantially laterally across the container opening when the mounting portion is sealingly engaged with the container lip. The top cover includes a top wall and a bottom wall cooperating to define an interior cavity. The top wall has a drinking port in flow communication with the interior cavity. The bottom wall defines a baffle opening which extends into the interior cavity and is adapted to reduce splashing of fluid through the opening fluid dispensed from the container must pass through the baffle opening and into the interior cavity before passing through the drinking port.
Ruff, U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,695, describes a spill-resistant lid that includes a plurality of apertures to minimize accidental spilling of any liquid in the container, even if the container is jogged, shaken, or moved unevenly so as to cause spillage of its contents when a slosh wave overrides the rim of the container.
Lansky, U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,350, describes a guard for preventing splashing from a drinking container. The guard includes a lower disk having an outer circular rim for engaging the inner face of the sidewall of the drinking container, an upper disk having an outer rim spaced from the drinking container to provide an annular passage between the upper disk and the inner face of the sidewall of the drinking container with which the guard is used, a baffle interposed between the lower disk and the upper disk for functioning to baffle the beverage when the drinking container is in motion and to act as a support for supporting the upper disk from the lower disk, and a passageway is provided through the lower disk to allow passage of the beverage through the lower disk to a position above the lower disk. An upstanding handle is provided on the upper disk and a receptacle is provided on the lower disk to removably receive the handle and permit stacking of the guards.
It would be advantageous to have a cap and/or container that doesn't have a spout, is spill-resistant, and dispenses liquid at a controlled rate.